Le Mans 2014 - Remembering my first 24 Hours: Soheil Ayari (Ferrari)

 

Photo : LAURENT CARTALADE / VISION SPORT 

 

The year of your first participation: "The first time I came was in 1996 during the qualifying sessions with Graff Racing but we did not succeed in qualifying. I took part in my first race in 1997 in a Viper GTS-R with Marc Duez and Tommy Archer (Viper Team Oreca)."

Impression of the 24 Hours of Le Mans after you first participation: "I was still a single-seater driver at that time. I was very impressed but we had no good point of reference relative to the cars, the size of the circuit and the crowd."

Memories of your first edition: "I remember two crowd-related events: the Drivers' Parade and the start." 

An anecdote: "In 2004 (Pescarolo C60, Pescarolo Sport), I did my best stint in all my 24 Hours of Le Mans. I started 11th on the starting grid, I went to 12th in the first lap and I brought the car back in 2nd position after my stint. I was very proud."

Your idea of this race in 2014: "It is the most beautiful race in the world, the most extraordinary. It's an event I do not want to miss, something one never tires of and that creates excitement when the month of June approaches."

Number of participations to date: 12

David Bristol / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

PHOTO : LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS. Soheil Ayari, driver of the No. 58 Ferrari 458 Italia.